In one sentence: Storm Boy is a tender story of a boy, his bond with a pelican and the environment that surrounds them.

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Storm Boy is a film that wears its heart openly. It weaves themes of environment, sustainability, friendship, loss and respect in a way that is accessible for children while still offering emotional depth for adults. This is not a family film that adults simply tolerate. It is tender, nostalgic and unexpectedly moving.

Based on Colin Thiele’s much-loved 1964 novella, this 2019 adaptation is the second film version, following the original 1976 classic. The story centres on Michael Kingsley, played by Geoffrey Rush, now a successful businessman facing public protest over his company’s environmental impact. When Michael begins seeing pelicans, he is drawn back into his memories of growing up on the remote coastline of the Coorong, where he rescued three orphaned pelican chicks and formed a profound bond with one he named Mr. Percival.

The film unfolds largely through extended flashbacks, a structure that works beautifully. Short, scattered flashbacks can feel jarring, but here the past feels lived-in and continuous. As a young boy, Michael (played wonderfully by Finn Little) lives a quiet, isolated life with his emotionally withdrawn father, Tom (Jai Courtney). Their solitude is gently interrupted by Fingerbone (Trevor Jamieson), an Aboriginal man living nearby, who introduces Michael to the rhythms of the land and sea and the idea that nature is not something to own, but something to respect.

Nature is at the very core of this film in the sacred landscape of the Coorong, the shifting skies, and of course, the pelicans: Mr. Proud, Mr. Ponder and Mr. Percival. Remarkably, the filmmakers chose to use real pelicans rather than CGI. The result is a joy. Watching them grow from bald, fragile chicks to full-grown birds brimming with personality adds genuine emotional weight. Finn Little spent months bonding with them from the time they were six weeks old, and it shows. Their connection feels effortless and real.

Finn Little is extraordinary. He is open, expressive and entirely believable. Trevor Jamieson brings warmth and quiet authority to Fingerbone and I found myself wishing for even more of his character, particularly as a way to further explore Aboriginal culture. There is also a thoughtful nod for fans of the original film as David Gulpilil, who played Fingerbone in 1976, appears as Fingerbone’s father.

While the film takes some creative licence, particularly in framing the story through the older Michael’s perspective, I think the choice strengthens the emotional resonance. It allows the story to hold its place in the present and serves as a reminder that the environmental concerns at its core are not relics of the past.

Storm Boy is not a loud film. It is gentle, visually beautiful and quietly devastating. Its themes, such as care for the environment, the fragility of family bonds, cross-cultural respect and the ache of grief, feel more urgent than ever. It is also, quite simply, a film that will make you cry.

Bring tissues.

★★★★ (4/5)